Research References
AJA War Veterans Tribute
Researching AJA Veterans-KIA:
Background:
Several years ago, 442nd vet Mits Kojimoto of Company H from San Francisco began his quest to find his troop buddy John H. Yamamoto (he thinks from Sanger, CA and later from Poston Detention Camp) who was killed in action in Italy in July of 1944. Since then, Mits has been scouring through cemetery records and gravesites at Golden Gate Cemetery, San Bruno, looking through the Poston camp newspaper, and asking at 442nd reunions. Despite all this, he has never been able to find where his buddy was buried. Knowing that others like himself may be looking for a friend or family member, Mits and Jim Yamashita of Los Angeles have compiled an extensive list of KIA’s and their burial sites in Italy, France, San Bruno, Presidio, and, of course, Punchbowl in Honolulu. Eventually, the list will be made into a black granite monument of World War II KIA’s to be erected at the Japanese American Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
On occasion, our visitors here at the National Japanese American Historical Society have inquired about a long-lost uncle or family friend in the 100th/442nd killed in France or Italy. They may know their name, but would not know their Company or where they were killed or buried. A number of them have asked for our help on the occasion that they may be able to visit their gravesite while touring Europe.
The list and gravesite markers compiled by Mits are provided to you in an effort to bring closure for the friends and families of Nikkei KIA’s and to make sure that the John H. Yamamoto’s are being taken care of after they took care of us and our country.
Please help us and others by adding to our knowledge base. Perhaps Mits may find his buddy.
Mits Kojimoto was NJAHS’ accounts manager from 1986-1988.
Veterans Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetary
In San Bruno, CA
View Map of Cemetary
| Name | Section/Grave | Death Date | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Abe | C 410 442M | 11/2/44, WW II | France |
| Frank Chujiro Akabane | M 886 | 8/16/54 WW I Veteran | |
| Shiro Asahina | B 717 | 5/19/46 305th WW II | Austria |
| Kay Chikuda | Y 1302 | 9/17/61 Capt USAF | Valdosta, GA |
| Frank H. Dobashi | CA 209 | 11/24/82 WW II Vet-442F | |
| Hachi Endo | R 3851 | 10/10/51 Korean War | Korea |
| * Ralph B. Ensminger | 0 1028 | 6/26/44 442 HQ2 WW II | Italy |
| Abe M Fuji | C 519 | 10/15/44 442/232 Eng WW II | France |
| Paul Shinobu Fujii | T 1643 | 10/18/57 WW II 442 Veteran | |
| Donald S Fujimoto | S 414 | 6/17/68 Vietnam War | Vietnam |
| Russell Takeo Fujino | J 788 | 8/04/45 MIS WW I I | Burma |
| Barbara Fukuhara | W 2382 | 1/04/56 Dependent daughter | |
| Kakutaro Fukuhara | W 469 | 5/25/56 WW I Veteran | |
| Tadao George Funaoka | M-2C 4575 | 9/18/63 Korean War Veteran | |
| Tatsumi Furukawa | C 1276 | 10/20/44 100 A WW II | France |
| Seiji Furuya | CA 15 L2 | 11/24/97 Veteran | |
| Kunio Hattori | C 369 | 10/20/44 100 D WW II | France |
| Dr. Carl Hirota | 2G 299 | 6/03/75 WW II Veteran | |
| Paul F. Horiuchi | J 869 | 10/19/44 442 E WW II | France |
| Robert S. Hoshino | J 819 | 8/26/44 442 E WW II | Italy |
| Stanley T. Ichiki | B 319 | 3/29/45 302 FAB WW II | Germany |
| Roy Y. Ikeda | 0 1081 | 1/20/45 100 C WW II | France |
| Hidemaru Ishida | A lst Class | Korea | |
| Kiyoshi Ishimizu | U 2013 | 7/21/53 Korean War | Korea |
| Nobu Kajiwara | B 50 | 7/12/44 100 B WW II | Italy |
| James T. Kajiwara | B 950 | 3/11/67 Vietnam War | Vietnam |
| James S. Kanada | J 817 | 4/05/45 100 A WW II | Italy |
| John S. Kato | J 783 | 1/29/46 MIS WW II | Japan |
| Joseph H. Kato | D 203 | 10/16/44 442 E WW II | Italy |
| Kenji K. Kato | 1 5141 | 7/05/47 WW II Veteran | |
| Kazuo Kawakita | U 1564 | 1/15/54 Infant | |
| Isoo Kinoshita | CA 17 L 9 | 2/25/97 Veteran | |
| Mamoru Kinoshita | C 482A | 4/21/45 442 HQ3 WW II | Italy |
| Yutaka Koizumi | J 757 | 5/23/44 100 WW II | Italy |
| Satoshi B. Kurokawa | 0 1149 | 8/13/45 MIS WW II | Okinawa |
| John H. Kyono | J 1037 | 7/06/44 442 F WW II | Italy |
| Harry Makita | T 3715 | 7/27/57 Veteran | |
| Grace Yuriko Makita | T 3715 | 5/15/71 Wife of Harry | |
| Dick Z. Masuda | Y 1990 | 6/25/44 442 F WW II | Italy |
| Eso Masuda | C 551 | 11/06/44 442 F WW II | France |
| Peter S. Matsuoka | C 296 | 11/03/44 442 HQ2 WW II | France |
| Isamie Matsukawa | C 24 | 7/12/44 442 G WW II | Italy |
| Tom T. Misumi | 0 1441 | 7/06/44 442 F WW II | Italy |
| Timothy T. Mizokami1 | B 766C | 1/13/44 442 M WW II | France |
| Haruto Moriguchi | J 1042 | 4/04/45 100 C WW II | Italy |
| Tokiwo Murakami | B 163 | 4/22/46 MIS WW II | Japan |
| Jim Nagata | J 996 | 4/17/45 442 L WW II | Italy |
| Masato Nakamoto | W 2086 | 3/08/91 WW II, Korean War Veteran | |
| Dixie Hiroko Nakamoto | W 2086 | 12/17/90 Wife of Masato | |
| George I. Nakamura | J 986 | 6/29/45 MIS WW II | Philippines |
| George S. Nakamura | C 555 | 10/29/44 442 E WW II | France |
| Kiyoshi C. Nakaya | B 267 | 4/17/45 168th WW II | Italy |
| Minoru Nakayama | J 815 | 4/15/45 442 Can WW II | Italy |
| Takeshi Nakayama | Q 712 | 6/03/55 Korean War | Korea |
| Willie S. Nieda | 2B 326 | 1/05/60 WW II Veteran | |
| Takanoru A. Nishi | 0 881 | 7/15/44 100 C WW II | Italy |
| Yoshio Noritake | B 294 A | 5/09/87 WW II Veteran | |
| Tadashi Nozaki | L 8302 | 6/19/46 WW II | Active Duty CA |
| Gregory Koichi Ogawa | M 111 | 6/02/69 Active Duty | Ensign USS Evans |
| Arnold Ohki | C 616 A | 4/22/45 442 K WW II | Italy |
| Peter Ohtaki | CE 330 | 2/07/90 WW II Veteran | |
| James S. Okamoto | C 248 C | 4/22/45 442 K WW II | Italy |
| Yajiro Okamoto | X 4050 | 8/27/63 WW I Veteran | |
| Kuni Okamoto | X 4050 | 6/28/90 Wife of Yajiro | |
| Togo Okamura | R 3955 | 11/23/51 Korean War | Korea |
| George Omokawa | B 390 A | 10/30/44 442 G WW II | France |
| Tadashi T. Ono | C 451 A | 3/20/66 WW II Veteran | |
| Danie C. Ota | E 449 | 12/10/46 5thAF WW II | Japan |
| Akira R. Otsubo | B 181 | 11/23/44 442 L WW II | France |
| Edwin H. Ouye | A 1C Y 502 | 1/19/64 Active Duty | Puerto Rico |
| Pamela Naomi Saito | 0 2107 | 8/25/68 Infant | |
| Masaaki Sakaguchi | U 68 | 1/11/56 Veteran | |
| Yoshinori Sakai10/15/44 | (moved) B 128 | 100 C WW II | France |
| Masa Sakamoto | D 36 | 3/03/45 442 E WW II | France |
| Walter Wakatsu Sakamoto | M 256 A | 4/16/97 WW II Veteran | |
| Tadao Sako | CE 322 | 3/08/91 WW II Veteran 442 Medic | |
| Yukumani Sako | CA 17 G | 29 8/17/97 Veteran | |
| Minoru Sasaki | M 1305 | 10/14/50 Korean War | Korea |
| Ichizo Sato | Q 370 | 1/03/56 WW I Veteran | |
| Michael Sato | 0 4484 | 9/26/54 Korean War | Korea |
| Shinji Sato | T 3134 | 6/06/57 WW I Veteran | |
| Masako Sato | T 3134 | 6/06/57 Wife of Shinji | |
| Mitsuru Shibata | N 1205 | 4/23/45 MIS WW II | Pacific |
| George M. Shikada | I 5075 | 7/21/46 MIS WW II | Japan |
| Nathaniel A. Shiotani | Q 210 | 4/09/56 Veteran | |
| Charles Shimizu | 2C 3666 | 11/19/64 WW II Veteran | |
| Kiyoshi J. Shiramizu | J 1033 | 8/14/44 100 Med WW II | Italy |
| Shigeomi Shiroishi | B 390 | 10/30/45 MIS WW II | Pacific |
| Toshiaki Shoji | D 116 | 10/21/44 442 E WW II | France |
| Sadamu R. Sueoka | J 929 A | 4/06/45 100 C WW II | Italy |
| Hiroshi Sugiyama | J 763 | 4/22/45 442 Med WWII | Italy |
| Yonezo Suzuki | M 264 | 1/23/52 WW I Veteran | |
| Yuji Takaue | CA 2212 | 8/14/86 WW II, Korean War Veteran | |
| Teruo Tabata | D 4 | 10/28/44 100 B WW II | France |
| George S. Takahashi | 2B 3118 | 5/17/88 WW II, Korean, Vietnam War Veteran | |
| David Kiyoshi Takahashi | N 1089 | 12/02/49 WW II Veteran | |
| Harry Takahashi | CA 1707 | 9/06/85 WW II Veteran | |
| Ichiro J. Takeuchi | B 622 | 6/07/46 WW II | Germany |
| Mary Kiyoko Takeuchi | B 622 | 2/06/45 Wife of Ichiro | |
| Michele Renee Takeuchi | X 6 | 12/15/62 Infant | |
| Toshiye Tenada | CA 2178 | 4/06/86 | |
| Thomas Takizawa | N 692 | 4/05/50 WW II | Veteran |
| Henry Terazawa | 0 452 | 1/03/50 WW II 442 E Veteran | |
| Michio Teshima | J 793 | 4/05/45 100 C WW II | Italy |
| George T. Yamaguchi | 2B 193 | 6/08/60 Korean War Veteran | |
| Bill Yamaji | 0 1241 | 4/05/45 143 Inf WW II | Italy |
| Masuo Yamamoto | CA 1030 | 7/06/84 Korean War Veteran | |
| Fred M. Yamamoto | C 478 | 10/28/44 442 K WW II | France |
| Minoru Yamamoto | E 941 | 10/07/51 Infant | |
| Shigeru Yamamoto | Z 2467 | 1/20/64 WW II Veteran | |
| Ichiro Yamasaki | CE 106 | 6/10/70 Korean War Veteran | |
| Shojiro Yamashita | D 309A | 6/10/70 Vietnam War | Vietnam |
| Jerry Kenji Yamashita | R 5116 | 5/11/68 Vietnam War | Vietnam |
| David Yanagi | Z 467 | 10/24/63 WW II 442 M Veteran | |
| Masaomi Yano | P 137 | 10/19/62 WW II MIS Veteran | |
| Joe R. Yasuda. | S 342 A | 6/06/44 100 C WW II | Italy |
| George Yasumatsu | CA 478 | 4/13/83 WW II Veteran | |
| Satoshi Yonekura | B 780 | 10/31/45 444AAA WW II | Holland |
| Hitoshi Yonemura | B 7401 | 4/21/45 442 Can WW II | Italy |
| Shinichi Yoshida | Z 723 | 12/07/63 WW I Veteran | |
| Hajime Yoshino | M 2142 | 10/25/50 WW II Veteran | |
| Hidemaru Ishida | MIA/KIA Vietnam War | Vietnam |
* Ralph B. Ensminger, Captain, killed in action serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Hometown, Honolulu, Hawaii.
There are a number of natives of Japan included in the above who served in the armed forces during World War I.
Last up-dated September 1, 1998.
AJA Veterans Awards & Honors
The National Japanese American Historical Society thanks the Go For Broke Educational Foundation for the following statistics:
| Decorations | |
|---|---|
| 8 | Presidential Unit Citations (including the MIS citation) |
| 18,143 | Individual decorations including: |
| 9,486 | Casualties (Purple Hearts) |
| 5,200 | Bronze Stars (4,000 Bronze Stars plus Oak Leaf Cluster) |
| 33 | Distinguished Service Medals (19 previous DSMs were upgraded to Medals of Honor) |
| 21 | Congressional Medals of Honor (20 medals were upgraded in June 2000 and given by the President of the United States) |